Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network
Cerebral Cortex April 9, 2008 M. D. Greicius, K. Supekar, V. Menon et al. 2,227 citations
Resting-state functional connectivity MRI, which measures correlated brain activity while a person lies quietly in a scanner, has been questioned as possibly reflecting noise rather than true neural connections. By combining diffusion tensor imaging tractography with resting-state functional connectivity MRI, this work tested whether the functional correlations correspond to actual structural pathways. Focusing on the default mode network—a set of brain regions involved in memory, including the medial prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobes, and posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex—the analysis found that structural connections matched the functional connectivity maps. Medial temporal lobes connected to retrosplenial cortex, while medial prefrontal cortex connected to posterior cingulate cortex. The results demonstrate that resting-state functional connectivity reflects structural connectivity, and combining methods can deepen understanding of brain networks.